Ohio State Football: 3 takeaways from big win over Michigan State

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EAST LANSING, MI – NOVEMBER 10: Dre’Mont Jones #86 of the Ohio State Buckeyes and Malik Harrison #39 celebrate after Jones recovered a fourth quarter fumble in the end zone for a touchdown while playing the Michigan State Spartans at Spartan Stadium on November 10, 2018 in East Lansing, Michigan. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) /

2. Ohio State’s defense found a way

Ohio State never really recovered this season after losing projected first-rounder Nick Bosa to an aggressive hernia earlier on in the season. Since defeating Tulane at home, Ohio State has given up 492 yards to Penn State, 406 to Indiana, 396 to Minnesota, 539 to Purdue, and 450 to Nebraska for an average of 456 yards per game.

For an Ohio State team that stays in the top of the recruiting rankings every year, it’s hard to believe that they couldn’t find answers on defense against Indiana and Minnesota.

This week looked like a whole new unit as the Buckeye defense held the Spartans to a mere 274 yards and held both Brian Lewerke and Rocky Lombardi to a combined 18-for-44 through the air (37.5 percent completion rate, but who’s counting).

The Buckeyes’ defense is heating up at the right time as they look to take on Maryland and Michigan in the upcoming weeks. They are currently 10th in the College Football Playoff rankings and improvement on that side of the ball after getting embarrassed by the Boilermakers on the road is exactly what the committee needs to see.

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